Recreation Ranger, Facilities Management

Government Recruitment Service; Ashley Heath; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Government Recruitment Service is seeking a Recreation Ranger, Facilities Management, to support the Recreation Manager in day-to-day operations at Moors Valley Country Park and Forest. You will supervise staff and contractors to maintain safe, high-quality visitor experiences across the site.

You will ensure health and safety compliance, partner with Dorset Council, and drive efficiencies and income opportunities. The role is based on-site at BH24 2ET with permanent status and full-time hours.

Qualifications

• Experience in visitor-facing role and safety-focused operations.
• Ability to coordinate with staff, volunteers, and contractors.
• Knowledge of risk assessments and safety procedures.

Responsibilities

• Be the face of Forestry England, ensuring a safe, welcoming Forest Centre for visitors.
• Coordinate and monitor safety, incidents, and PPE checks with the Recreation Manager.
• Supervise craftsperson team and contractors to complete maintenance and forest management tasks.
• Collaborate with partners and volunteers to ensure smooth day-to-day operations.
• Carry out additional tasks as requested by the line manager.

Skills

Visitor relations

Health & safety

Risk assessments

Team coordination

PPE checks

Contractor management

Job description

As Recreation Ranger - Facilities you will support the Recreation Manager in the day to day running of a busy Forest Centre. The Recreation Ranger will plan, deliver, and supervise work programmes for contractors and staff to ensure compliance, safety and high standards of visitor experience across the busy site.

Your main responsibilities include making sure we have seamless day-to-day visitor operations, our visitors are having excellent experiences and maintaining a welcoming and safe environment for our customers.

You will supervise the Craftsperson team to ensure all maintenance and forest management work is undertaken alongside answering visitor enquiries and supporting your direct colleagues on site. A large part of the role is working in partnership with Dorset Council.

You will contribute to the overall safety of the visitor experience, drive efficiencies and income generation opportunities.

Please see the job description below for more information and details about what we need from you.

Where you’ll work

Moors Valley Country Park and Forest is jointly owned and managed by Dorset Council and Forestry England, working closely with several onsite concessions. The Park has previously won Gold for Large Visitor Attraction in the Southwest Tourism Excellence Awards and is one of two popular visitor centres in the south district for Forestry England.

Moors Valley is one of the most visited attractions in the south with more than 1,000,000 visitors annually enjoying its lakeside walks and bike rides, innovative forest play structures, Tree Top Trail, steam railway, Go Ape, Segways, Nets Adventure and Golf Course. Prized as much by the local community as visiting tourists the park also offers stimulating play facilities, nationally recognised green exercise initiatives, locally sourced restaurant food and an extensive year-round events programme.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

In this role, you'll have the opportunity to maintain our recreational facilities focusing on health and safety and forest management. Here's a snapshot of your responsibilities:

• Be the face of Forestry England: you'll provide a visible presence for visitors. Maintain a safe and enjoyable Forest Centre: carry out regular inspections of car parks, cycle routes, recreational facilities, and litter management, to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all. Ensure defects are properly recorded and add findings to work plans. Build and maintain good relationships with on site partners and third party businesses.
• Ensure health and safety compliance: coordinate emergency procedures, complete accident and incident reports, undertake tree safety checks and adhere to health and safety guidelines. Work with the Recreation Manager to ensure risk assessments are being adhered to and that building management procedures and monitoring are in place. Ensure personal safety by using Peoplesafe (lone working) and by carrying out PPE and safety checks, in compliance with policy guidance. Input incidents into the reporting system, collating all relevant information.
• Working with others: work closely with volunteers, the wider Forest Centre team, partner organisations and Forestry England colleagues to ensure the smooth day to day running of the site.
• Delivering at pace: Working alongside the Recreation Manager and other Recreation Ranger, coordinate and monitor progress of tasks for the craftsperson team and contractors to ensure work is delivered in a timely and safe manner. Carry out maintenance to a variety of facilities including but not limited to play equipment, tracks, fencing, signage and general vegetation management.
• And any other tasks, reasonably requested by your line manager in line with the business need.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Recreation Ranger, Facilities Management

Company: Government Recruitment Service
Salary: £30,105 to £30,105 a year
Hours: Full-time
Location: BH24 2ET
Job type: Permanent
Posting date: 23 Oct 2026
Closing date: 3 Nov 2026

About Disability Confident

Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.